Delay
by SpobyClaceFosterson
Summary: Taken from a Tumblr prompt. Spencer is having some trouble finding the right time to tell Toby about their impending bundle of joy,


The paper bag crinkled as Spencer breathed into it. She was hyperventilating while her best friends, Hanna, Emily and Aria tried to to calm her.

This could **not **be happening. No way could she be pregnant. Her and Toby were careful. _Always_.

Yet, here she was. Sitting on her bathroom floor, too afraid to look at the pregnancy test on the counter.

She was only nineteen. Toby, twenty. How were they going to raise a baby when they had only just moved in together? She was in school, he was finally getting his business off the ground. Spencer knew Toby would want to do the right thing by her and get married, put the business on hold, go back to his old construction job, where he knew he would get a paycheck every Friday.

"Spence," Hanna murmered, stroking her hair. "Do you want me to look for you?"

Tears streaming down her face, Spencer nodded.

The blonde stood and picked the stick off the counter. Her prolonged silence only confirmed Spencer's fears. They had bought a digital pregnancy test. It would just say "Pregnant" or "Not Pregnant". Hanna saw the result right away and no matter what, there would be no confusion.

"Positive?"Spencer heard her own gravelly voice ask.

Hanna nodded.

Spencer Hastings was pregnant.

"Babe? I'm home." Toby Cavanaugh had had a very bad day. He ended up being fifteen minutes late for a big job that could really put his new business on the map due to a traffic accident. Not that his client would hear anything of it. She was furious and he barely managed to save the account. Trying to impress the old hag, Toby had worked through lunch, letting the few guys on his payroll go ahead without him. Of course, things were downhill from there.

When dropping by the office, Toby had to fire the receptionist for using her desk for... extracurricular activities. For not the first time. He'd spent two hours at the office, texting Spencer that he would be home late, looking for a new receptionist. Only to come out and find his disgruntled former employee keying his truck. Bitch **keyed **his baby. So, on his way home, he had to pick up the necessary supplies to fix the scratches.

He was sweaty, irritated, covered in sawdust still from work, and starving.

Spencer quietly stepped out of their bedroom, having delayed coming out so that she could hide the pregnancy test. She didn't want him seeing it before she gathered the nerve to tell him herself. When he texted her, letting her know he'd be late, it had only reenforced her procrastination, so she had to do it soon.

Coming face to face with her boyfriend, she saw the irritation on her face and froze.

"Hey," she said quietly. "Something wrong?"

Toby sighed. "Had to worst day. You hungry, baby? I'm starving. I had to skip lunch for Mrs. Denny's job. Old witch insisted my being late because of an _accident _on the highway was _my _fault. Like I hit the damn Semi or something. I had to fire Kim, too. She's keyed my truck, because how dare I fire her for finding her bent over her desk for her boyfriend for the **fourth **time? Ugh. I just want to eat and have a drink. Jason left a few beers here, right?"

Spencer nodded, exhaling sharply. How could she top of his shitty day with "Well, I know we just moved in together and you're working so hard to make a name for yourself, but you should probably know that I'm going to need you to support me and the kid you knocked me up with."? Yeah, that would turn his frown upside down.

Toby yanked open the fridge, pulling out a beer and popping the top as he reached for his cell phone.

"Is pizza okay?"

"Huh?" Spencer asked, not having been paying attention. There was too much on her mind.

"Hey, are you okay?" Spencer was much too quiet.

She plastered a smile on her face and regulated her breathing before she began hyperventilating again. "Yeah, of course. So, what were you saying?"

Toby narrowed his eyes. She was hiding something. He wanted to know what, but at the same time, he was much too tired to fight her for the truth tonight. He'd let it go for now and ask her about it tomorrow.

Clearing his throat, Toby repeated the first question. "Is pizza alright for dinner?"

"Yea, that's fine."

Today was the day. She was going to do it.

Spencer was going to tell her boyfriend about their baby.

Walking in the door from class, Spencer was pleased to see Toby sitting at his desk in the front room of their apartment, working on a blueprint for work. If she didn't have to track him down and wait for him to get home, there was a lesser chance of her chickening out.

"Hey, Toby."

Her boyfriend turned with a smile. "Hey. How was class?"

"It was fine," Spencer walked over to sit on his lap. "How was your day?"

Toby grinned widely at her as wrapped his arms around her waist. "Great, actually. Mrs. Denny had to go out of town for some family emergency, and she wants to change the plans _again_, so she can't do it till she gets back. She was the only job on schedule today, so I got a day off."

Spencer laughed. Mrs. Denny must be one awful woman for her loving boyfriend to dislike her so much.

"Well, good. There's actually something I want to talk to you ab-"

She was cut off by a sharp rap on the door.

"Hold that thought," Toby stood to answer the door.

"Hey, Tobes!"

Across the threshold stood Ezra Fitz, Caleb Rivers, and Spencer's very own brother, Jason DiLaurentis.

"Hey, guys," Toby replied cheerfully, doing that stupid guy hand-grip-quick-hug as he ushered their friends inside.

_You have got to be kidding me, _Spencer thought.

"What are you doing here?" Spencer asked through gritted teeth, trying to smile.

"Guy's night!" Caleb yelled loudly. Obviously already a few drinks to the wind.

Spencer sighed as the men began to sit and shoot the breeze. She would just have to tell him after they left.

Leaving the guys to their fun, she motioned to Toby that she was going to lay down.

Stuipd pregnancy symptoms. Spencer had laid down for a nap, and not woken till her alarm went off in the morning.

Damn it.

Standing up quickly to find her boyfriend in the apartment, Spencer quickly put a hand over her stomach and lurched.

Rushiing into the bathroom, she expelled the contents of her stomach.

Toby, having heard the commotion from the kitchen, where he was brewing a pot of coffee that he knew Spencer would be needing before school, walked into the bathroom to check on her.

Pulling his sick girlfriend's hair from her face, Toby rubber her back soothingly.

"Spence," he said quietly as she stood on shaky legs and flushed the toilet. "Are you okay?"

_Now or never_, she thought.

Spencer ignored the question long enough to brush her teeth and gurgle some mouthwash. She let him follow her into the kitchen and repeat his question.

"You brewed coffee?" Spencer asked.

Toby sighed in impatience. "Yes, would you like a cup? It might help you put off telling me what's wrong."

Spencer smiled reassuringly at him. "I'm sorry that I've been weird the past few days."

"It's okay," Toby said softly.

She shook her head. "Please let me finish. If I don't get this out now, I might just let you eventually figure it out on your own."

Taking a shaky breath, Spencer continued. "I probably shouldn't have any coffee. I hear it's bad for pregnant women."

Toby's eyes widened. "P-pregnant? Like with a baby? We're having a baby?"

Spencer nodded, nervous. "Yeah. I found out the other day. Look, I know how you are and I don't want you to do anything we're not ready for just because of this baby. Don't go crazy and propose or go back to your old job. Things are fine, okay? We're bringing in money, I'll drop a class or two, I'm already scheduled to graduate early, anyw-"

Spencer was cut off by her boyfriend's lips on hers.

**They were having a baby**.


End file.
